The House GOP leadership released a single-page document outlining their principles for overhauling the nation’s immigration system, which has not been updated since 1986. The principles include a plan to allow those who came to the country as children to earn U.S. citizenship, but they leave many of the nation’s 11 million aspiring citizens without a dedicated road to this status. The principles also call for increased border militarization and payment of back taxes by those looking to adjust their immigration status. Here is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center

President Obama presented a bold vision for alleviating income inequality and increasing economic opportunity this evening during his annual State of the Union Address. The president also reiterated his support for reforming our immigration system, stating, “When people come here to fulfill their dreams . . . they make our country a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for everyone.” Here, in response, is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center.

In a commentary published in USA Today, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, again pits U.S. workers against aspiring citizens, falsely contending that American workers would be hurt by commonsense immigration reform.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) today introduced the Investing in Students to Achieve Tuition Equity (IN-STATE) for DREAMers Act, a bill designed to encourage states to expand in-state tuition rates to all their residents. The bill would establish a program that would provide grants to states that offer in-state tuition or financial aid to immigrant students, regardless of their immigration status. Sen. Maize Hirono (D-HI) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) also are cosigners of this legislation.

In a cynical political ploy, conservative senators are pitting millions of children and their families against the unemployed and retired veterans by proposing to reduce the number of people eligible for the refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC) in order to pay for extending unemployment benefits and repealing military pension cuts that were part of the recent budget deal.